


Portraits

by Eli (AisukuriMuStudio)



Category: Tales of Vesperia, Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Tales of Femslash Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 14:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11534562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AisukuriMuStudio/pseuds/Eli
Summary: Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear is set in an arranged marriage with Estellise Sidos Heurassein. Sometimes things turn out to be even more than we hoped them to be.AU in which both countries exist in the same setting. Written for Tales of Femslash Week 2017, Day 2: Passion.





	Portraits

Natalia was passionate in ways that others weren't. She had a kingdom to run, after all; beyond her open compassion for her own people, everything else must be kept quietly in check.

When she was saddled with an arranged marriage with the princess of a neighboring empire, passion was the furthest thing from Natalia's mind. All she could think about was how this alliance would benefit her kingdom and the people within its borders. She could only hope that the Princess Estellise Sidos Heurassein had a similar bond with her own people, so that the relationship that came out of this marriage might at least be tolerable, if not agreeable.

Natalia did not have the luxury of meeting the Princess before the day of the wedding. It was too expensive to travel between countries so frequently (and far too dangerous), so instead she was sent portraits of her bride-to-be.

Estellise did seem to be a very beautiful woman. But that was all the portraits told her. Her expression was always distinctly soft, but serious; her hair was always exactly the same length just above her shoulders; she was always adorned in white and gold, the colors of the Empire. (Luke commented that these were _his_ colors, and therefore couldn't be the colors of the Empire; Natalia resisted the urge to remind him that the Empire had declared its flag long before Luke had been born.)

Of course, Kimlasca sent plenty of portraits in return. To Natalia's extreme annoyance, her father ordered two new portraits of her made for every one of Estellise received. No matter Natalia's protests that she had more important matters to tend to, her father remained immovable. “We must convince them of your worth,” he had said to her with a look that begged her understanding. “You are worth a thousand portraits, Natalia.”

But Natalia found that a thousand portraits were not worth her time. Each portrait was an expensive production, from the design of her dress, to the labor involved in producing it, to the famed artist her father would commission. And this was not to mention the _time_ involved; time that Natalia could better spend drafting new regulations or laws, or amendments to previous laws, anything at all that would benefit her people.

Beyond that, there were _preparations_ that had to be made for the wedding. Natalia would much rather her father and his advisers have their hands occupied with that matter, rather than the matter of who would paint Natalia's visage today.

When Natalia stopped posing for portraits, much to her father's chagrin, she was startled to find that the number of paintings she received dwindled. The next time she received anything from the Princess, it was not a piece of artwork, but a letter. It read:

_To the Princess of Kimlasca:_

_I understand your hesitation in regards to our betrothal. Though we have both known, I am sure, that arranged marriages were in our future, the fact that the time has come is a thorn in our side. Both of us have agendas we'd like to accomplish before the wedding arrives, and spending our time on portraits rather than anything material can be a nuisance._

_Therefore, I have a proposal: rather than sending paintings from one country to the other and waste time and resources, what do you think of exchanging letters? This way we might be able to learn more about the other and be better prepared for the day of our wedding._

_I care for my people very deeply, Your Highness, and I would like this alliance to be as beneficial to them as possible. But I would also like this marriage to be beneficial to myself, as well. I refuse to spend my life unhappy and alone, despite being surrounded by people. If we are to wed, I should hope it is done with goodwill and true intent._

_Utmost regards,_

_Princess Estellise Sidos Heurassein_

_Post-Script. Please accept my apologies for the formal tone in this letter; I would not assume you to be comfortable with familiar language, even with your fiancée._

Natalia almost laughed at the ending. In fact, this letter was a weight off her shoulders; this princess was everything she had hoped she would be, and _more_.

Estellise's passion was not what Natalia had been expecting, but it was _freeing_.

 

* * *

 

 

Estelle was passionate in ways few princesses were. She had a kingdom to run, but she refused to let that keep her from expressing her emotions and beliefs to their fullest extent. Though she understood that some things must be kept in check, she earnestly believed that to dampen her self-expression would be to damage her standing among her people, as well as her own integrity.

When her betrothal to the princess of Kimlasca was arranged, Estelle hadn't been quite sure what to expect. She had heard tales of the way she spoke for her people even against the wisdom of her own advisers, and at times even _acted_ against the best interest of the crown, purely for the sake of the citizens. In fact, Estelle's own advisers referred to this behavior with words like “reckless” and “foolhardy,” but Estelle could only see her actions as brave.

She was admirable, more than anything else, and Estelle was rapt with fondness. She became determined to impress this warrior princess.

And so came the portraits. Estelle had not meant to order quite so many of them done, but in the moment she had been swept away by the desire to prove her worth. And receiving so many portraits in return had been validating, for a while; perhaps Estelle's interest was genuinely reciprocated.

But soon, the portraits became tiresome, trite events, and Estelle realized she was loosing out on too much by participating in them. Not just the social events that her friends attended, Yuri and Flynn among them (though the former would loathe to admit it), but the time she could put towards executive duties as well.

Yet – how could Estelle possibly begin to ask the good Princess Natalia to come to a “ceasefire,” of sorts? Would she not see Estelle's sudden drop in sending the paintings as an indication of a lack of interest? The conflict worried Estelle to the core, and Estelle became concerned that her portraits would reflect her preoccupation, but her face was portrayed the same as always.

And then, blessing of blessings, but Natalia's portraits came to an abrupt halt. At first Estelle and her advisers were worried this was a sign that the alliance was to be called off, but word from the Kimlascan throne assured them otherwise. Their princess was stubborn, they said, and so though the princess found herself unable to provide further embellishments of her visage, she was still very agreeable to the alliance and the marriage itself.

(“That's code for 'she was tired of posing,'” Ioder whispered to Estelle one night, when Estelle let her worries get the best of her. “You needn't be so troubled, dear cousin.”)

So Estelle wrote the young princess a letter, and was surprised by how prompt her reply was.

_To the Empire's Princess:_

_I am unable to put into words the relief that your words bring me. They were the first flowers after a barren winter, and I am only sorry that I did not bring you those flowers first. You are a step ahead of me, and so I suppose I must pick up the slack, mustn't I?_

_I would be honored to accept your offer. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand portraits could not paint an image of you as bright as the one you offered in your last letter. I, too, wish for this marriage to be one productive for my people, but I had not given thought for what I wanted this marriage to mean for me. Thank you for opening my eyes to this._

_I must admit, I find myself looking forward to the day that I first lay my eyes on you. With all due respect, Your Highness, the words in your letter give me a strong feeling that your portraits do not do you justice._

_This must mean that I hope that our relationship is as fruitful for us as it is for our people._

_Best of wishes,_

_Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear_

_Post-Script. Feel free to reply to me in your informal speech, as I have taken the liberty to do so here._

To think that this was Natalia's informal language … it made Estelle's heart flutter. This was flirting, was it not? It wouldn't be reading between the lines to say that, would it? Oh, but this conversation would be so much better had in person!

And she could not help but hope that Natalia's passion came across as much face-to-face as it did over pen and paper.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> What, can you blame a lesbian for wanting some good gay content? I ship Natalia & Asch as much as the next guy, but Natalia and Estelle popped into my head while doodling ideas for this day's theme and I couldn't get them out of it. They're absolutely adorable!!
> 
> I hope you guys liked it!
> 
> (PS. Why does AO3 have Estelle's full name, but not Natalia's? *Seinfeld voice* What's the deal?)


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